U.N. profoundly concerned at inaction of Palestine’s independence

By Middle East Affairs

The United Nations Security Council met to express their grave outrage at Israel’s use of violence towards Palestine’s protesters that resulted in 59 killings on Monday in Gaza.

In their meeting, the U.N. called for an investigation into Israel’s actions to ensure accountability, an action that was swiftly blocked by the United States, one of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

As Monday turned into the bloodiest day for Palestinians since 2014, the U.N. called upon all sides to show restraint so as not to further aggravate the situation. The statement continued, “including any unilateral and unlawful measures undermining the prospects of peace.”

The Council met after Israeli troops shot 59 Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border with live bullets, on the same day that Trump’s envoy celebrated the opening of the U.S. Embassy to Israel in the much disputed holy city of Jerusalem.

Ten members of the 15-member council wrote a letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, it reads, “The Security Council must stand behind its resolutions and ensure they have meaning; otherwise, we risk undermining the credibility of the international system,” wrote Bolivia, China, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, France, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, and Sweden.

The U.S. Embassy relocation to Jerusalem, a move that has angered much of the Middle East, in a move by the U.S. and Israel to strength their claim of Jerusalem for Israel, will not be tolerated echoed the Council.

The 2016 resolution also “underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.”

As Israel claims Jerusalem to be its capital, Palestinians wish to call the Eastern part of the city their own when they are granted rights of self-determination.

Jerusalem, has been home to by practitioners of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity through out history.

The signatories wished “to express our profound concern about the lack of implementation” wrote in their letter to Guterres.

They also asked Guterres to start submitting his quarterly reports on the implementation of the resolution in writing instead of orally. “While there may sometimes be legitimate reasons for oral reports, they should be reserved for exceptional circumstances,” the 10 members said.

Previously, in December 2016, the Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements, with 14 votes in support and one absentee vote by then U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration. A month later Trump took office, and denounced the resolution while calling for the United States to change its vote to a veto.